Bicycle Australia

Cape York

Bicycle Route Guide

Copyright 1986, 1987, 1988, 2000 Bicycle Australia Inc.

Introduction

The Cape York peninsula is one of the last vast wilderness regions in Australia, an
area greater than Tasmania of eucalyptus forests, fast flooding streams, giant anthills,
aboriginal relics, rugged mountains, tropical rainforests, billabongs, and a rough bush
track leading to the northern tip of australia.

Little has changed since the first European "tourist", a Dutch sailor named Willaim Jansz,
arrived in 1606. Captain James Cook happened along 174 years later. Yet despite his glowing
reports, hordes of package tourists were slow to follow. The explorer Kennedy was the first
European to make the overland trip north, although an aborigine's spear cut short his
adventures. (Dead men tell no tales).

Nowadays the overland journey is still one of Australia's great adventures, though somewhat
less hazardous than in Kennedy's time.

The first bicycle reached Cape York more than a decade before the first motor vehicle.
Today an increasing number of intrepid 2-wheeled adventurers retrace this epic journey,
although with few of the hardships their predecessors experienced. For example, there are
now eight ice cream stops along the route.

To date, Trevor notes and this guide describe the Inland Route following the old Telegraph
Line.

In 1988, Terry Collins took the Cape York part of Bicycle Australia in 88 up the
new Coastal Route via the Bloomfield Road and Lakefield National Park and his
research and notes will eventually be added into this guide.

For a FAST trip, take the Inland Route and New Development Road.
For a RUGGED trip take the coastal route via the power line, then Lakefield
National Park and Old Telegraph Line.

Otherwise, Lakefield National Park and the Old Telegraph Line (with a ferry crossing of
the Jardine River) are recommended no matter which option you take.

Cairns is the northern gateway to Australia. It has frequent train, bus and plane
connections with the South as wellas international flights from U.S.A. Japan and
New Guinea.

Cairns has a wide range of accommodation, super markets, a number of reasonable bicycle
shops and tourist traps galore. It is an ideal place to stock up with titbits for the
ride and indulge in the trappings of civilisation before setting off into the wilderness.

Mt. Molloy is accessible by three (3) different routes from Cairns: (a) vir Kuranda,
Black Mountain Road and Julatten, (b) via Kuranda, the Kennedy Highway and Mareeba, and
(c) via the Cook Highway, the Rex Range Road and Julatten.

The last two are faily plain sailing on bitumen highways. By choosing (a) you can avoid
fast lane tourists. It is wise to begin your Cape York adventure gently, gradually
working up to the harder days ahead.

The trail begins with the steep climb up the coastal range to Kuranda. It is recommended
that you make it in the armchair comfort of the Kuranda Tourist Train - begin gently
remember!. The ride to Cairns Railway Station in McLeod Street is not particularly
strenuous. In 1988, there were two departures daily at 8:30am and 9:00am. There are
also the non-tourist orientated standard services which leave earlier and later
throughout the day - check times at the railway station.

Kuranda has an excellent open air market each Sunday and Wednesday where you can
overdose on fresh fruit and vegies. You may not see another paw paw for a month.

A commercial audio-visual show "Cape York Experience" will give you a foretaste of the
natural wonders in store for you.

Black Mountian Road turns north from the Kuanda-Cairns Highway 200 metres east of the
Barron River bridge. Its surface is dirt and gravel. The trail meanders along the
crest of the coastal range through mostly rainforest. Traffic is minimal. A "No Through
Road" sign deters all but intrepid cyclists. Permission for access and camping in
the State Forest is obtainable from the Forestry Station passed en-route (telephone
070-937103).

You are now on the Penisula Development Road. Your first 68 kms are bituem, but the magic
does not last for long. You will soon become intimately acquainted with potholes,
corrugations, rocks and dust. Water is scarce along this section, plan your stages
carefully.

The first half is through ancient eroded ranges. The ascent of the Desally Range is
best planned for the cool of the morning.

Fairly wild beef cattle wander among the stunted eucalypts. Although the road is unfenced,
they are normally of no danger to cyclists. The mere sight of a bicycle puts them to flight.

With a welcome tailwind you should make good times across the plains of Lakeland Downs.
After the first Laura River crossing the terrain is dominated by rugged sandstone
escarpments. Aboriginal rock paintings can be viewed at Split Rock 14kms before Laura.
A well marked walking track has been constructed and the walk is well worth the effort.

While the direct route is rough, dry, sandy and uninteresting, the detour through Lakefield National Park
is one of Cape York's highlights.

Wildlife you may encounter include wallabies, kangaroos, dingoes, countless species
of birds, goannas, crocodiles and feral pigs. And with a bit of luck, you may even
catch a barramundi or two.

Permission for camping in the National Park is obtainable at the Ranger Stations at
New Laura and Lakefield. The track through the Park is often better condition than the
main road, except for a very bumpy stretch between the Morehead River and Saltwater Creek
and a sany section between Saltwater Creek crossing and the Marina Plains turnoff.

The RACQ description is succint: "Stony track conditions vary from corrugations and
potholes to neglected surface. Then there is the sand!".

The first 15 kms is studden with DIP signs, though most of the creeks are usually dry.
There should be drinkable water in One Mile Creek, and perhaps in Five Mile Creek, Red
Blanket Creek and Ten Mile Creek. If you camp on one of these creeks, the climb of the
Bamboo Range can be made in the cool of the morning. The road on the top of the plateau
is sandy with patches of bull dust. Low mounted panniers may bottom out on the sand ridges
between wheel tracks. In places the worst of the sand can be avoided by taking strategic
detours through the scrub.

There is a clear deep waterhole on the south side of the Kendle River 100 metres west
of the wooden bridge. It is the haunt of a large? freshwater crocodile.

The Great Dividing Range is crossed after the Kendle in a series of roller coaster hills.

The Stewart River crossings provide ideal lunch or camp spites before tackling the Coen
Range. Don't be misled by the "Wilderness Cafe 25km" sign, 3kms in more like it.

This section of road is in relatively good condition. Between Coen and its airport, you
may get a chance to use top gear. The Archer River is heralded by the appearance of large
granite boulders and balancing rocks on the left hand side of the road. If you haven't had
a rest day for a while, the Archer is the place. It is also the home of the BIG ARCHER
burger, renowned as the best in Cape York.

The area between the Archer and Wenlock Rivers is the driest you will encounter. The only
reliable water is on Heskett Creek. This means no midday swim for 2 days running.

The camp on Heskett Creek is on the north bank 200 metres west of the crossing.
Fressh water crocodiles have been seen here.

The best camp on the Wenlock is on the south bank 100 metres west of the crossing. There
is a good barramundi hole another 200 metres downsteam.

The Telegraph Station and its maintenance staff are becoming redundant as microwave
repeaters place the land line. It is possible that it will cease operation in 1986.
However the site will be much in demand for a Roadhouse. Update - the Telegraph Station
had been totally replaced by 1988, but no roadhouse.

The track north of the Wenlock becomes narrower, the anthills taller, the country
wilder and better watered, the vegetation more luxuriant. Bicycles have know to outpace
4WD's on this section. Creeks flow clear and deep. The sand is also fairly deep in places.
However you notice more of the flora on the occassions you are obliged to push your trusty
steed. Take particular note of the flowering grevilleas and the carniverous pitcher plants.

There are a number of inviting swimming holes en route, with the waterfall just below the
Dulhunty River crossing the best. A favourite detour is the 3kms to Eliot Falls.

Keith Barnes, the Jardine ferryman has trained rifle fish to shoot pieces of bread from his
hand with a jet of water. Before the day's first trip across the river, he may give you
a demonstration. Update - Keith Barnes role was taken over by the Aboriginal Land Council
(?) in 1988 and Keith is no longer the feryman.

You might surprise a barramundi in one of the deep holes by the outer bank of a bend
in the river.

Much money has been spent bulldozing a new track which detours to the east of the
telegraph line. 4WDers will tell you it is a good road. If you fancy a 50m wide
swathe smashed straight through virgin forest you may agree. This part of the
track is a hot sandy environmental disaster area. But perhaps it gives the 4WD-ers
a chance to turn up their Billy Joel tapes!.

The Biffen Swamp route is preferred to the bypass, as it is less trafficked, more direct,
and scenically interesting.

Jackey Jackey Airfield, Bamaga's airport is 11kms southwest of the town along a well
graded road.

The road north from Bamaga passes through dense forest and is curiously deficient in
potholes and corrugations. A possible campsite is on Laradeenya Creek 1Kms along
Punsand Bay Road. Permission for camping here is necessary from the council office in
Bamaga.

Continuing northward, the rainforest canopy often encloses the road in a pleasant
green tunnel, a stark contrast to the track from the Jardine. Rainforest gives way to
open woodland as you approach Cape York. The northern tip of Australia is 400 metres along
a walking track from the end of the road.

Commonwealth Bank book - Update; when this guide was originally written, one of the
essential tools for bicycle touring in Australia was the Commonwealth Bank book because it
was accepted Australia wide at post office's everywhere. So, as long as you were in a place
during post office hours, you could pick up money for supplies, etc.

Two things have happened to change that advice. The Commonwealth Bank has become greedy
and now extracts hefty account keeping fees. Credit card facilities, with better hours
are now widespread, but we are not sure of facilties along the Cape York Route.

So the advice is now to have someway of getting money. Bankcard, Master Card and Visa Card
are, for the information of overseas vistors, the major credit cards in Australia. Users
of other credit cards may experience difficulties outside capital cities.

Emergency Repairs: Some tips from Terry's experiences.
He replaced two tyres on his trip, but he admits to riding cross country to have
firm sand and avoid the very soft sand that was churned up by the 4WD convoys on
the track. This put him into direct conflict with the remains of burnt off scrubby bushes.
If you are similarly inclined, bring some spare tyres or tyre wall patching
material. The trick is to protect the tube and stop the tube from forcing out through
the hole.

Terry also went through two new Brooks saddles (4 wire variety) on his trip. Replacement
was affected by making a telephone call from the next public telephone and having a new
one sent ahead to the next mail drop off point. Express post can be expensive, but
it can save carrying a lot of "we might need it spare". So knowing the telephone number of
a reliable bicycle shop is a good bit of equipment.

Look at tools and spares as being a group responsibility. You only need one humongous
shifter for releasing freewheels for the group, but everyone may need their own freewheel
adapter. You only need one of each chain type. Have the slowest rider cary the group tools
as their share of group weight so they are always behind whomever needs them.

Never Ever take untested equipment on a major ride like this. Terry's seats were
both new and he suspects a faulty batch. He has also lobbed onto another trip with a
complete new drive train to find that all three chains were faulty and links would just
fall apart.

All the work in route research is undertaken on a voluntary basis. Consequently, should
you find either additional information for or incorrect information in this guide,
please let us know so we may correct it.

Bicycle Australia also welcomes contributions of ride notes from other tours you have done.
should you be contemplating another ride and would like to assist with developing other
routes, please contact Bicycle Australia. We can
then inform you of the information we are looking for in the area in which you are
planning to ride. We thank you now for any assistance that you are able to give.

Bicycle Australia would like to thank Trevor Strickland of Tropical Bicycle Odysseys
for researching and writing the original Bicycle Australia Cape York Route Guide. If you
like the guide and it's humour and are interested in further bicycle riding in North
Queensland, then Trevor runs five other rides in the area, as well as running trips up
the Cape York Trail.